Goals were key in Division 3 as Louth took top spot, while Derry top Division 4 on scoring difference.

In Division 3, Louth claimed their third win in a row, with a 5-16 to 0-16 victory over Sligo.

All five of the hosts ‘majors’ came in the opening 41 minutes, with a first half hat-trick helping them to a 3-8 to 0-8 interval lead.

Sam Mulroy (penalty); and substitutes Eoghan Duffy and Jim McEneaney all rattled the net, with Liam Gaughan (0-4) and Niall Murphy (0-3) doing their best to keep the visitors in touch.

Louth continued to prove goal hungry on the restart, with a Mulroy sideline flicked to the net by Declan Byrne; before Duffy’s second goal brought Louth’s tally to 10 in three games.

A Donal O’Hare hat-trick helped Down to a 3-7 to 0-8 win over Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

The Mourne County are second in the Division after this eight-point victory, against a Longford side who welcomed back Mullinalaghta trio Donal McElligott, James McGivney and Patrick Fox after their extended club run.

O’Hare’s first goal came after 12 minutes for Down’s opening score, in a low-scoring opening half which saw his side lead 1-4 to 0-3 at the break.

O’Hare found the net for a second time a minute after the restart, and delivered a third green flag with 20 minutes remaining.

Longford scored half of their tally in the final quarter, with points from Connor Berry, Darren Gallagher (2) and Liam Connerton, but it wasn’t enough.

Westmeath finished strongly, to take their second win of the campaign, following a 0-13 to 0-10 win over Laois at TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Ger Egan registered nine points for the Lake County, in a game where the visitors started strongly and led by 0-6 to 0-3 after 18 minutes, but only managed four more scores.

Scores from Paul Cahillane, Evan O’Carroll, Conor Boyle and Damien O’Connor helped Laois take a 0-7 to 0-5 half-time lead, but Westmeath were solid on the restart.

Offaly claimed their first win, with a 0-15 to 1-9 victory over Carlow.

Carlow led by 1-5 to 0-7 at half-time, with Paul Broderick netting a 23rd minute penalty, after Clint Horan was black carded.

However, Offaly worked hard on the restart, and the sides were twice level, until a strong finish as Niall McNamee, Ruairi McNamee, Nigel Dunne and Shane Horan took scores.

Horan pushing Offaly 0-14 to 1-8 ahead, after an excellent save from Paddy Dunican at the opposite end.

Carlow finished with 12 men, with Jordan Murphy picking up a second yellow card; before a black card for Eoghan Ruth and a red card for Shane Clarke in injury-time.

Derry have taken top spot from Leitrim on scoring difference in Division 4.

The Oakleafers were 2-8 to 0-9 winners over Wicklow, despite finishing with 14 men, after a late second yellow card for McFaul.

Two first half goals separated the sides for most of this game, with Chrissy McKaigue and Sammy Bradley finding the net.

Derry led by 2-3 to 0-5 at half-time, and despite the likes of Jamie Snell putting in a solid performance for the visitors, the Garden County fell short.

Antrim picked up their first win, with a 1-13 to 1-8 win over London at Corrigan Park.

The Exiles had delivered their lone victory so far in the last round, and looked good early on for back-to-back wins, after a third minute David Dunne goal.

But Antrim responded well and moved 1-6 to 1-1 ahead on 27 minutes following a Ryan Murray goal.

The hosts pushed seven points clear on the restart, with both sides finishing with 14 men after dismissals for Patrick McBride and Eoin Flanagan on second yellow cards.

Wexford are rooted to the bottom of Division 4, after a 5-4 to 0-12 loss to neighbours Waterford.

After an evenly balanced start, Waterford bounced back with two goals to take a 2-2 to 0-6 interval lead.

Wexford levelled the tie soon after the restart, but Waterford found the net with a Shane Aherne effort defected to the net for their fourth goal on the way to a seven-point win.

On Saturday, Leitrim continued their unbeaten run with a late score from substitute Gary Plunkett helping them to a 0-12 to 0-11 win over Limerick in Kilmallock.

The sides were tied on four occasions over the contest, with wind-assisted Limerick leading 0-7 to 0-5 at the break.